“Wow! The thoroughness of this book is incredible. Champagne has crafted a comprehensive, extensive, and progressive guide to take one through the well-formed steps to becoming an outstanding business analyst. This guidebook provides a wealth of skills, tools, techniques, and perspectives to infuse competence and confidence into the work of any BA.”

“Business analysis is a broad discipline. By distilling the breadth of the profession into seven applicable steps, the author provides a practical framework which will be of immediate interest to new and experienced BAs alike.”

—Adrian Reed, Former President, IIBA UK Chapter, Author of Business Analyst, and Director and Principal Business Analysis Consultant, Blackmetric Business Solutions

“Seven Steps to Mastering Business Analysis, 2nd Edition,is a very structured and comprehensive BA book. I recommend it even to those who have been BA professionals for many years.”

—Ales Stempihar, President, IIBA Slovenia Chapter

About the Item

This volume in the Business Analysis Professional Development Series by leading expert and keynote speaker Jamie Champagne is the second edition of our number #1 best seller. It is an instructional text that will help relatively new analysts, and those expected who do business analysis work in addition to their main role, build their skill sets, master the essentials, and advance their careers. Since the content is aligned with the consensus-based business analysis standards of both the Project Management Institute (PMI) and the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA), as articulated in their respective guides and bodies of knowledge, this book continues to be an excellent reference for the PMI-PBA, ECBA, CCBA, and CBAP certification exams.

Seven Steps to Mastering Business Analysis, 2nd Edition, presents detailed explanations of business analysis concepts, terms, tasks, and techniques, and includes examples to help readers understand how to apply them to real-world situations. It also delineates the key activities that are core to the BA role and the diverse range of activities analysts perform based on their career competency level, ranging from problem solving and identification of business opportunities, to complex systems thinking and solution development, to strategic planning and change management. Even for those not interested in certification, this guide is a must-have reference for BA generalists, specialists, and hybrids at every career level and industry segment or perspective.

Key Features

Helps new and experienced BAs, as well as project managers, system analysts, product managers and many others doing analysis work, master the skill sets essential to successful business analysis

Supplies a clear definition of the business analysis role and insights on how to approach analysis work to help deliver successful solutions

Brings needed attention to the significant value those performing the BA role are delivering to all areas of organizations today in the form of change efforts and in project-based work focused on elicitation, analysis, validation, problem solving, and solution delivery

Articulates numerous techniques and approaches for learning the business you are working in and gaining an understanding of the technology environment regardless of your background

Walks readers through the business case process for gaining support and initiating projects and change efforts

Details techniques for successful requirements elicitation, analysis, and validation and how to successfully plan your approach to delivering high-quality business analysis deliverables

Explains the current frameworks used for change and project-based work and offers suggestions on how to select the best approach/technique from the various analysis work methodologies

Discusses why and how organizations approach change efforts through projects and the added value analysts can provide in helping project-based work be successful beyond the scope of the project

Shows BAs how to work with stakeholders, approach them and identify what they need, build successful working relationships, and communicate and present deliverables

Provides guidance relevant to BAs at every career level on how to plan, measure, and continuously improve your business analysis work and skill sets

Examines the ideal traits, professional attributes, and skills of those most likely to be successful in the role to help aspiring BAs determine if it is a good fit for them and those hiring or managing BAs

About the Author(s)

Jamie Champagne, CBAP, PMP, PMI-PBA, founded Champagne Collaborations to embody the passionate business analysis perspective she has brought to her work over her career. Her business analysis experience and approach focus on delivering value while collaborating across teams and organizations. She has a strong background in project management, process improvement, information systems, and knowledge management in the fields of finance, telecommunication, healthcare, transportation industries, and government. In addition to providing services through her company, Jamie also teaches information systems, process improvement, and business analysis courses at local universities and creates online training materials for today’s on-demand learning organizations.

Ms. Champagne is a sought-after speaker for many professional association conferences, seminars, and other events and has presented to groups such as the IIBA, PMI, Toastmasters, Project Summit and Business Analysis World conferences, and Data Governance and SharePoint user groups. Jamie was the first Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP) in the state of Hawaii. She helped found the IIBA Hawaii Chapter, winning “Chapter of the Year” in its inaugural year in existence, and is a certified Six Sigma Black Belt, ITIL, and Security+ holder.

Jamie earned her Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS) degree from Hawai’i Pacific University and a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Florida State University. You can reach Jamie through www.champagnecollaborations.com or on LinkedIn.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Your First Step – Understand Business Analysis, The Role, and Work Involved

What is Business Analysis?

Who Makes a Great Business Analyst?

Chapter 2: Your Second Step – Know Your Audience

With Whom Does the Business Analyst Work?

Working with Dispersed Teams

Chapter 3: Your Third Step – Know Your Project

Why Has the Organization Decided to Fund this Project?

Strategic Planning

Chapter 4: Your Fourth Step – Know Your Business Environment

Seeing Things from the Business Perspective

How a BA Learns the Business and Customers: Elicitation Techniques

Chapter 5: Your Fifth Step – Know Your Technical Environment

Why Does a Business Analyst Need to Understand the Technical Environment?